India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels his team’s openers have proven the decision to select five bowlers for the Test against Bangladesh correct by piling on the runs on a placid pitch in Fatullah.
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The spinner added the team will use the experience gained on the batting tracks in Australia during their previous tour in order to take wickets in the ongoing match.
Speaking after a rain-affected opening day’s play, Ashwin was confident the Indians will perform much better than the Bangladesh bowlers.
“I think it’s an individual perception, they probably saw the wicket in a way they wanted to see it and we are seeing it in a different way.
“We have got bowlers who can exploit the conditions while bowling at 140kmph plus, if there is a bit of reverse swing,” Ashwin said.
“It’s also about how the bowlers are performing. Our bowlers have been pretty good and they have learnt a lot over the last tour in Australia.
“We are backing ourselves and we have picked the best bowlers we have,” he added.
Stumps on day 1 at Fatullah. India managed 239/0. Dhawan 150*, Vijay 89*. A very good day for India. #BANvIND pic.twitter.com/oehGKkjhZm
— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) June 10, 2015
Weather is likely to be a major factor in the one-off Test with yet more heavy rain predicted for the remaining four days of the Test.
But Ashwin said the Indians will try their best to get the most out of the “controllable” factors.
“As far as I see it, cricket is a game where even if you look to control the controllable it is very hard. You can’t really do much about the weather, it’s out of our reach and we have put our best foot forward,” said 28-year-old from Chennai.
“We have played five bowlers and we will look at the best possible result. If time is there and if we bowl really well and we get a little bit of help and luck then we can force a result,” he said.
Ashwin was all praise for the opening batsmen, who mixed caution with aggression and managed a run-rate of 4.26 in the day’s play.
“That’s pretty much the way our openers bat. Shikhar plays his game usually and Vijay takes time to settle in.
“So it’s pretty much what happened today. There was no conscious effort in terms of ‘we have to do this’. But there is a good sense of trying to express yourself and we are looking to play with a lot of freedom.”
The off-spinner also defended Bangladesh’s decision to prepare a flat wicket, saying the hosts are only trying to avoid defeat with the resources at hand.
#FiveYearsofAshwin First ODi wicket in your fourth over of your spell and a good low slip catch ws taken by our @imVkohli anna @ashwinravi99
— Ashwin (@ashwin_fans) June 5, 2015
“If you look at Test or ODI cricket around the world, it’s pretty much pitched in favour of the batsman. That’s how the game is headed and we need to accept and live with it.
“No team would try and make a wicket that will not suit them. You don’t want a green wicket here and see how it goes.
“It’s about suiting their strengths and wanting to play a brand of cricket that they want to. So not really surprised,” he said.
